Mix colors.

When you have found an object you want to paint, how is your ritual for mixing the colors?
Do you start by finding the most base colors and mix them up before you move on or how does it look in your head?

There's no easy way, but it gets more instinctive the more you do it, you develop a feel for it. Cut a whole out of some white paper, and place it over the colour you want to match (go for the lighter colours first if possible, then you can use that mixture to gradually darken if needed for other tones) mix up a colour for example light green, yellow, bit of blue, white then spray onto the paper near the hole, see how close it is and adjust form there. I think some people do mix up all their colours first.

I am too lazy so do it on the fly. Also as I use transparents, colours emerge on the surface as I paint sometimes, for example blending yellow over red for oranges etc. Plus I'm not always that bothered if its a 100% match depending on what look I'm going for, or what paints I have. As long as the painting looks right as a whole. But then I'm no photorealist and rarely copy any image exactly, putting my own slant on things if I can.

As squishy said, with time and practice it does become instinctive, though to begin a painting you need the base color first as generally we paint light to dark, (you can paint dark to light if you desire but its a little more tricky). You can then stop and adjust that base color for your medium base and then adjust it for your dark base, (test spray it on the side) but it all depends on the way or style you paint in. I mix on the fly, a drop here, a few drops there, close enough is good enough then adjust on the canvas, some like to match every color need first (For beginners this is the best way) but there are many ways to go about it and in general it fully depends on the type of paint you use (Trans or opaques) and your desire for the piece..

I usually go from dark to light and mix on the go as needed. But like rebel said it depends what style you paint and what paints you're using. Sometimes I go light to dark, depending on the subject matter too. My pp I think will be darkest first and then light to dark utilising both ways. It really depends on a few factors. There's no right or wrong way. Do as you feel is right.

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